Resurrection Empire

Chapter 1327 - 503: Luring the Snake Out of Its Hole (Part 2)

If these nobles needed to hire Ren Zhong’s people to work, then perhaps it could be discussed. However, according to the terms of trade proposed by these individuals, they explicitly emphasize the commodification of these people. If people were really sold over, Ren Zhong believes that these citizens would have absolutely no chance to realize their ambitions and would only become lifelong docile "stud horses," without any opportunity to engage in substantial work, essentially becoming slaves.

Therefore, despite being tempted by others’ offers, Ren Zhong ultimately refused all propositions involving human trade without hesitation, effectively cutting off an important source of income.

The Fleet Science Academy considered taking on some commissioned scientific research projects using their own research and development capabilities. But while the idea was beautiful, reality was harsh. For any power, scientific projects are core areas. If anyone dared to entrust a scientific project to the Source Star Fleet at this time, it would mean taking a clear stand in the struggle between the two Earls in the Nanxiang Star Cluster.

Unless Ren Zhong breaks Liu An’s power blockade someday, or the Source humans demonstrate unique abilities of turning stone into gold in the research field, obtaining orders in the short term is impossible.

In summary, the fleet’s current source of income only comes from auxiliary scientific computing projects led by the Royal Academy of Sciences.

This so-called auxiliary scientific computing project is actually the same thing as the Contribution Points that people can earn on Source Star after using the wrist watch hypnosis, the difference being that the treatment is somewhat more generous.

Additionally, having arrived in the Empire, Source humans can still use existing Contribution Points to purchase Anti-aging Potions developed by the Royal Academy of Sciences and produced by pharmaceutical factories commissioned by the Augustus family to extend their lives.

According to Empire law, Sosgate cannot cut off the supply of these potions.

It is foreseeable that in the near future, the average lifespan of the Source Star Fleet will soon catch up with that of the Mechanical Empire.

This is also why many middle and upper management personnel no longer have to count their days against their lifespan as before and are no longer frequently forced into hibernation.

Regarding the dilemma of the Commerce Company, the fleet command has no solution, so they simply decided to comprehensively renovate the Annulus Ship held by the Commerce Company, continuously installing more laser emitters below it.

At this point, the fleet has already completed the vast majority of the renovation work.

Exactly one thousand light energy capturing sails belonging to the Source Star have also started operating in orbit around South Nine Star.

Many scientific research projects related to the planetary renovation program are also progressing steadily.

Ren Zhong must face a new dilemma.

The issue still lies in the collection of nuclear fusion materials.

When formulating the plan, Ren Zhong and fleet members had already considered the external environment to be sufficiently challenging, yet the reality still took them by surprise.

He encountered a comprehensive blockade in trade, economy, resources, and technology, truly airtight and without any gaps.

The fleet of four billion people clearly lives within the Empire’s territory and has the capability for interstellar travel but is forced to live a poor, isolated life akin to being hermitically sealed off from the world.

If they could only scavenge for isotopes of hydrogen and other nuclear fusion materials from the stellar wind near South Nine Star in a piecemeal manner, the original sixteen-year preparation period would at least need to be extended to twenty-five years.

The conventional reserves of Super Energy Batteries have long been exhausted, and the fleet must continuously consume resources to emit high-energy lasers to repel white ants, maintain research progress, conduct ship maintenance and renovations, preserve the ship’s ecological environment, and produce essential goods. All areas incur expenses, none are small, and the fleet now can only live frugally and scrimp to save. Who knows how long it will take to achieve their goals?

In the Throne Hall, the newly awakened Ren Zhong convenes another meeting.

Earlier he had already verified the development status of the fleet at a very rapid pace.

For five years, many things have been progressing as planned.

The modifications to the laser emitters targeting the white ants have been half completed, and now five hundred Annulus Merchant Ships have completed technical renovations and personnel training. These former merchant ships are now orbiting South Nine C. One high-energy laser after another scans downwards from high altitude, constantly driving the white ants toward the positions of the two foci. Due to insufficient density of the high-energy lasers, the white ants have not yet been completely repelled. However, the Fleet Science Academy, through studying the living habits of the few white ants captured and artificially bred, believes that maintaining the current intensity is just right. If continuous driving indeed causes the white ants’ density at the two thermal extremes of South Nine C to exceed the limit, it may lead to an early invasion of the planetary mantle by the white ants.